Here I’m going to share styling tips for those of you who are short waisted or how to dress if you have a short torso.
My objective is to make you look and feel your best, and one of the ways we do that is by having a thorough grasp of our body shapes.
Knowing if you have a long or short torso is a big part of it.
If you already know you’re short waisted, it implies you have a short torso, a short upper body, and not much room between your waist and your chest, and you need some assistance finding out what to do.
I’ve got some styling tools for you to keep in your arsenal, as well as some magic tricks to help you achieve visual balance and proportions, so you won’t have to worry about how short your torso is.
Tops with V-Necks
Wearing V or scoop neck tops is one of the initial suggestions.
This is something I mentioned in one of my prior articles as a strategy to lengthen the upper body, and that’s exactly what it does.
That’s the plan if you have a short torso. You want to lengthen your upper body while truncating or shortening your lower body. You might not want to shorten your legs if you’re a petite woman.
However, if you are not petite and have a short waist, you will probably want to shorten the length of your legs.
It’s incredibly simple to achieve visually using only stylistic tactics.
Wearing V-necks is one of the ways to elongate your upper body.
Leave Tops Out Or Half Tuck
You can also leave your tops out. You don’t have to tuck your tops in all the time.
Leave out those tops, blouses, and tees, or even just do a little fringe tuck, half tuck in the front, to add length to your upper body.
It will achieve the visual proportion I’m referring to.
Necklace With Pendant
Wearing pendant necklaces is another simple trick. It doesn’t have to be a 30-inch pendant that hangs below the bust.
It might be something simple like a lariat or something a little longer to extend the upper torso.
The necklace, when worn with a V-neck and a half tuck, will make your upper body appear longer.
Pants with a Low to Mid Rise
Let’s talk about the rise of the jeans. For those of you with short torsos, here’s another tip.
You might not want to wear high-rise jeans or pants.
The higher the rise, the higher they’ll rise around your waist. Then the distance between your stomach and your chest will be much smaller.
Instead, you might want to go with a mid-rise style.
The term “mid rise” refers to a rise of eight to nine inches.
When you’re about to order that pair of pants or jeans, check the website’s description to see where the rise is. Is it eight, nine, or ten inches? That’s a great position for those of you with a short waist who want to make your lower body look shorter while making your upper body look longer.
Belts Should Be Handled With Care
Belts are flattering on all body types and shapes, with the exception of circles.
However, if you have a small waist, you need be careful with belts because you don’t have a lot of room.
You’ll want to wear a belt that’s incredibly thin, like a half-inch or an inch and a half at the most. That’s where you’ll find happiness.
You don’t want to do these large oversized wide belts or these really big giant belts because they’ll take up your entire torso and your chest will simply sit on top of it.
It’s not appealing. The proportion and size of the belt must be carefully considered. On the belt, aim for a half-inch to an inch-and-a-half maximum.
Lifting Bra
Another piece of the puzzle is that you’ll want to invest in a high-quality bra that really lifts you up. Because any drooping will reduce the amount of room in your torso.
When you have a short torso, a raising bra that creates a little extra space between your stomach and your chest will be really helpful.
Dresses With a Drop Waist and Shift Waist
The next piece of advice I have for my short-waisted women is to look for dresses that are either shift dresses or drop waist dresses.
The waist of the shift dress isn’t defined in the least. Nobody has any idea where your waist is. This generates a sense of visual proportion.
The drop waist dress, as the name implies, has a drop waist. It lengthens the upper body, giving the appearance of a longer torso and shorter legs.
Those are your two go-to dress silhouettes, but feel free to experiment with whatever works best for you.
Those are two must-haves for the woman with a small waist.
Petite Tops & Jackets
Petites are usually a good option, especially if you’re already petite. You might look great in a petite-length top or a blazer.
You could want to go for cropped length because a cropped jacket or cropped sweater might fit you like a regular jacket or sweater, which is fantastic. Because there are so many cropped possibilities now, it can make it easier for you.
In terms of blouses, sweaters, and jackets, you’ll definitely want to consider the sizing.
Don’t get disheartened if you try on a number of dresses with waist defining elements and they don’t quite fit you correctly, or if you try on a peplum top and it doesn’t quite fit you right.
You can select garments that fit and flatter your physique in a variety of ways. You can achieve that visual proportion of balance in a variety of methods. It’s just a matter of a little optical illusion.
You might wear a long line blazer or a long line jacket to make your torso look longer.
Because I am petite and proportioned, it is a little more difficult for me. I don’t want my legs to appear shorter, and I don’t want my upper body to appear longer either. Leg lengthening, high-rise pants or jeans, and a comparable toned heel on my feet would all help to stretch my legs.
However, if all you want to do is make your upper body look longer and your lower body look a little shorter, a longline jacket will do just that.
